But there will be an end. There's always an end. And that's worrisome this time.

Because this might be the last Halloween - well, at least, Halloween as you've known it for the past 12 years. That's the number of times the kid has been in costume.

She hasn't said anything about quitting. But kids can be fickle. One minute they're totally into Barney or Toy Story or SpongeBob or Hannah Montana, and the next they can't bear to be reminded by you - the clueless, behind-the-times parent - that they even remotely liked yesterday's fad.

For youths, the shelf life for Halloween varies. Some trick-or-treat into their teens. Why not? For free candy, I'm tempted to do so even in my fifth decade.

Others give up the goblins as soon as they hit teen years. And next year, the kid will be 13.

This parade is held two days early, because of a teacher-institute day on Halloween. As it reaches its half-way point - so far, lots of cheerleaders, two whoopie cushions and an actually frighteningly realistic werewolf, if you can consider a fake creature realistic - you wonder if this is the kid's last childlike foray into Oct. 31 festivities. Granted, it's not like Halloween is a holiday on par with Christmas or Thanksgiving or birthdays. Still, it's always been a big deal for the kid.

Peoria is a good Halloween town, with Wildlife Scary Park, Hall-Zoo-Ween and Spider Hill. And there are plenty of spook houses and haunted trails.

But you best remember the jack-o'-lanterns. When the kid was tiny, she'd marvel at your ability to craft a face into a pumpkin - even though it featured just two crude eyes and a mouth. Years later, with wide eyes, she put her little hands around the carving knife's handle as you guided and plunged the blade it into the orange flesh. Much later, she took over the carving, leaving you the ignoble chore of scooping out the pulpy guts.

And through it all, there were the costumes. Even as a tot, she was thrust into a Pooh Bear outfit, wiggling and fussing, oblivious to the holiday. But that's what parents do sometimes, have fun with their kids even when the wee ones can't yet realize it.

Later, when she began dreaming of growing up to be a princess, as early as February she'd ask, "What should I be for Halloween, Daddy?" Over time, Cinderella, Snow White and others made appearances.

This year, she is ... well, I'm not sure. She only would say that it's a '60s outfit. She sort of looks like a hippie. But hippies didn't wear black boots. The footwear has thick heels, which make her look taller. Which makes her look older. Which makes you feel sadder.

Or, maybe she is a go-go dancer. That would make sense, what with the ton of eye makeup she has on. Then again, it's not as if she occasionally doesn't slather on too much eye makeup on a typical day. Which makes her look older. Which makes you feel sadder.

And here she comes, near the tail of the parade. She flashes a smile and wave at you, but quickly returns her attention to her friends. And soon thereafter, the parade trudges away, finally reaching its end.

For a parent, the scariest part of Halloween isn't the idea of bats and vampires and monsters. It's the notion that one day, your kid will outgrow it all.